July 25, 2013 News

Birthdays: July 25, Dave Derr, Jim Casey, Lauren Shapiro; June 26, Scott Irvin; June 27, Furlen Irvin, Marge Elias, Whitney Taylor, Katlyn Morgan, Clayton Kershner, Jessica Jones; July 28, Candice Casey, Fred Taylor, Twila Higgins, Rachel Grumbein, Susan Keith, Zach Higgins; July 29, Annette Chestnut, Gerald Walker, Kathy Dugan, Bobby Peters; July 30, Malena Thyfault; July 31, Brenda Clancy, Joyce Rogers.

Anniversaries: July 27, Kent and Judy Bible; July 29, Martin and Julia Pfannenstiel; July 30, Daryl and Barbara Casey; June 31, Lee and Debra Oelkers, Clark and Nicole Kirk.

Renewing members of the Jail/Museum are Shirley Gabel, Walter and Jeanette Rogers, Dave and Carolyn Davenport.

Memorials to the Jail/Museum are in memory of Hubert and Gertie Brackney from Shirley Gabel and in honor of Shirley Lovitt Higgins from Walter and Jeanette Rogers.

Those participants in the annual Trail Ride were .Emily Yanda, Brianna and David Reeves, Cody Kaler, Ronnie Tunnell, Barb Redeker, Lynn Kochenower, Robert Jacobs, John Ficken, Rose Jones, Jamie Weeks, Jaden Pavlu, D. J. Gowdy Ashlee Dinges, Meredith Keller, Garrett Windholz, Leland Windholz, Amorette Windholz, Terry Conard, Tyler Conard, Nathan Felder, Kaitlan Klitzke, Mike Felder, Holly and Star Jasper, Lorie McCune, R. C. and Liz Jordan, Madalyn Williams. Cindy Rogers and friend Sarah and Deanne Ficken helped with the food. Lynn Kochenower and John Ficken were in charge of the event. Make plans to ride next year. Let John and Lynn know of a route you would like to follow. Jack Wilson started the Trail Ride and he would have been pleased to see it continue in such a successful manner. A picture of the ride was in last week's paper.

Leslie Struckhoff, Burlington, Colorado was here on Wednesday to visit the Jail/Museum. She is a native of Kensington, Kansas. She has been an English teacher for 20 years at Burlington. Prior to that she taught at Russell. Her main reason for stopping at McCracken was to see the Paper Moon display.

Maisie (Ida May Johnson) Long called. She was following up on the article about the Swedish

Genealogy Workshop to be held in Lindsborg in September. Her family is Swedish and last year they went to Sweden on vacation. Her grandson was attending the World Boy Scout Jamboree there. She plans to attend the workshop.

Mitch Jacobs has donated the painting “Charlie's Service” to the Jail/Museum in memory of Terrie Lasater. The painting was made by Jerry D. Gaddis in 2001. In addition to Charlie's Service, it also depicts the Petz Building, Bank of McCracken, Norlins and the Farwell Building.

The 66th Annual High Plains Band and Music Camp was held July 14-20 at Fort Hays State University. An article was on the front page of the Hays Daily News on Thursday, July 18, featuring LaCrosse campers, Sierrra Burk, Addie Kershner and Taylor Morgan. They were part of the Junior High Gold Band. At the Junior High concert Galen Schmidtberger, a counselor at the camp, played with the band. Galen was a teacher at McCracken. Shannon Keith, Ellsworth, was part of the high school mini-musical, “The Music Man”, a member of the Low Brass choir and of the Silver Band.

Helen Georgia Irvin Goering died July 10, 2013 at age 93. She was born November 2, 1919 to Ivy and Ada Lovitt Irvin on a farm in Ness County, Kansas. She was a 1937 graduate of MHS. She married Milford W. (Bill) Goering, June 7, 1941. He died August 31, 1996. She was a school teacher. Survivors are her son Steven and wife Joanne Goering, Denver, two granddaughters and three great-grandchildren. Helen was a resident of Aurora, Colorado for many years. A private ceremony will be held at a later date.

Rodeo weekend guests of Pris Jacobs were Neal and Amy Jacobs and Tessa, Jaden and Jenna Jacobs and Hadley. Tessa is staying with her 'granny' for an extended visit.

Michael (Sam) Harp, Dylan and Maddie were rodeo weekend guests of Don and Lynnette Doornbos and family. They also hosted Blaze Taylor, 2012 Miss Rodeo Princess, her mom Candy and her aunt Julie.

Lavona Suppes sent news of her granddaughters' college plans. Dayna Anderson will transfer to the University of Virginia-Wise to finish her history degree, and Kristina Anderson will begin her biological sciences degree at Virginia Tech.

John Ficken: I didn't know that Carolyn had already had the trail riders. Thank you though for giving them to me Sunday evening. sh

August 1953

Stanley Wahl is with the 2nd Battalion at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.

Mrs. Irma Wegher is operating the Beauty Nook formerly operated by Mrs. Allen Showalter.

A tractor at the John Hanson farm caught fire while the fuel tank was being filled. No one was hurt.

Wm. H. Washaliski (Skip) is stationed at the Navy Air Force base in Jacksonville, FL.

A daughter, Linda Kay, was born August 12 to Mr. and Mrs. Wendell E. Conrad.

A girl, Peggy Ann, was born August 19 to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jennings.

Capt. Emil Kapaun, an Army chaplain who died in a Communist prison camp was honored this week by his prisoner of war buddies with a $1,500 donation to his home church at Pilsen, KS.

Mr. and Mrs. John Elias celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a dinner at their home on Sunday.

A daughter, Leanne Kay, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Friend Morgan August 23.

Does anyone have a record of the “penning” events that was held in 1985-1986 at the rodeo grounds before the rodeo? Went through the micro-film and there isn't any record.

Ruth E. McLaughlin, 94, died July 18, 2013. She was born August 23, 1918 to Myron and Edna L. Sultzer Durand. She was a 1937 graduate of McCracken High School. She married Guy McLaughlin May 30, 1943 in Hutchinson. He died in 1999. She had been a resident of Hutchinson since 1942. Burial in the Penwell Gabel Cemetery, Hutchinson.

Dr. William Rush Brenner, 98, died July 19, 2013. He was born May 23, 1915 in McCracken, the son of William Albert and Rose Sweeney Brenner. Dr. Brenner married Josephine “Jo” McGowen.He survived the Bataan Death March and remained a prisoner of war in the Philippines and Japan until 1945. He is survived by five children, eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Burial in Larned Cemetery. Their family story during the war is chronicled in the book by Linda McCaffery entitled “I'm Praying Very Hard for You”.